Flexible shaft



March 18 1924. 1,487,519

J. K. OLSEN FLEXIBLE SHAFT Filed June 12, 1922 jvvz/vraR.

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Patented Mar. 18, 1924.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOHN K. OLSEN, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR TO STEWART-WARNER SPEEDOM- ETER CORPORATION, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, A CORPORATION OF VIRGINIA.

FLEXIBLE SHAFT.

Application filed June 12, 1922. Serial No. 567,512.

To all whom it may concern.

Be it known that I, JOHN K. OLSEN, a citizen of the United States,-residing in the city of Chicago, in the county of Cook and the State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Flexible Shafts,

Figure 1 is a partly sectional side ele-' vation of a flexible shaft member embodying this invention, the same being shown coupled as to its casing and its rotary shaft element both with precedent driving element and the succeeding driven element.

Figure 2 is an axial section in detail of one end portion of the flexible shaft'shown in Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a detail section at the line, 3-3, on Figure 1.

Figure 4: is a detail section at the line, 4-4:, on Figure 1.

The flexible shaft embodying the invention as shown in the drawings comprises the customary coiled wire casing, A, and the flexible rotary shaft element, B, therein, which consists, as shown,but not necessarily for the purpose of this invention,of a succession of links, 6, provided at the end of said rotary element with a two-part terminal comprising a special form of link member, B which engages the next linkmember, b, and which telescopes within,that is, has a sliding connection with,the other part, B of the terminal, said sliding connection being effected by means of a longitudinal slot, b, in the part, B engaged by a fin, b, of the part, B preventing relative rotation of said two parts, B and B while ermitting a relative longitudinal movement.

he flexible casing, A, is provided with a rigid terminal ferrule, 0, one end portion being of larger diameter than the other, and adapted to telescope outside of the flexible casing, and to be clinched thereto as seen at c. The ferrule, C, is reduced in diameter for a distance extending from a point a little back of the outer end of the ferrule, forming a reduced portion, G adequate-in length to accommodate and permit some longitudinal adjustment of the ferrule in a clamp as indicated in dotted line at M, of adequate width to hold the ferrule securely. Within the reduced portion, G there is held by drive fit, a journal bearing bushing, D; and there is further provided a journal bearing bushing, E, drive-fitted into the larger diametered end of the ferrule, back to the shoulder, 0

The order of assembling the parts is as follows:

The journal bearing bushing, D, is first driven tight,being dimensioned fordrive-fit, into the reduced portion, C of the journal, G. The two-part terminal, B and B of the rotating shaft element is then inserted, theannular enlargement or boss, 6 on the art, B, being set up against the inner emf of the journal bearing bushing, D. The journal bearing bushing, E, is next in serted and driven into the enlarged portion of the ferrule, C, far enough to stop any appreciable endwise play of the part, B, but not so as to bind the boss, 5 so as to defeat or im air' the rotation of the shaft element. The exiblecasing, A, is now inserted into the ferrule up against the end of the journal bearing bushing, E, and the ferrule is clinched onto said casing as shown at 0. The shaft member, B, is made of such length from the annular boss, 6 outward, as to rotrude from the ferrule and from the'bus ing, D, when the boss, N, is stopped against the inner end of said bushing, far enough for securement to said shaft of the wheel or gear to be driven, for which securement the ,said

protruding end of the part, B, is provided with a hole, b, to receive a securing pin.

I claim:

1. A flexible shaft construction comprising in combination with a flexible non-revolving casing and a flexible revolving shaft element therein, a two-part terminal forthe'latter, said two parts having sliding rotation-transmitting engagement with each other; the-casing having a rigid unitary terminal ferrule which extends beyond the flexible portion of the casing; two journal bearing stops fixed and interspaced in said unitary extended part of the ferrule, the said outer part of the reyolving shaftterminal protruding from said casing terminal through one of said stops and having a cliametric enlargement or encompassing boss which i engaged in said interspace for longitudinally stopping the rotating shaft element.

2. In a flexible shaft construction, in combination with a flexible casing, a ferrule for terminating the same exteriorly clinched onto the flexible easing member for rigid connection therewith and reduced in diameter at the end portion beyond said flexible member; a bushing which affords journal bearing for a rotating element made fast in said ferrule in the unreduced part thereof adjacent the shoulder resulting from the reduction. and a second bushing fast in the reduced part spaced from the first bushing; whereby the rotating shaft element may be journaled in both said bushings and longitudinally stopped by means engaged between them.

3. In a flexible shaft construction, in combination with a flexible non-rotatable cas ing and a flexible rotatable shaft element therein, a non-flexible terminal ferrule for the flexible casing; journal bearing bushings rigidly fitted into said ferrule beyond the flexible casing and spaced apart, the rotary shaft element havinga terminal journaled in said bushing with an annular enlargement occupying the interspace between the latter; whereby the bushings take the endwise thrust of the rotary shaft element in both directions.

4. In a flexible shaft construction, in combination with a flexible non-rotatable casing and a flexible rotatable shaft element therein, a non-flexible terminal ferrule for the flexible casing which is reduced in diameter from a point near the outer end back toward the other end, for forming exterior stop shoulders, and a journal bearing bushin; driven into said reduced portion; whereby the portion of reduced diameter serves for engagement between the stop shoulders of a clamp for positioning the shaft which may be securely tightened without injury to said shaft member.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto set my hand at Chicago, Illinois, this 7th day of June, 1922.

JOHN K. OLSEN. 

